Things Change
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: Neither of them wanted anything serious.:: Blaise and Daphne before, during, and after the war. For Michy


**A/N: The lyrics for each section are from, in order, "Make-Up Smeared Eyes", "The Day That Saved Us", and "Back to Life", all by Automatic Loveletter**

**For Michy**

**i. we only made out, you never kissed me**

**.**

His fingers tangle in her hair as his lips crush against hers. Daphne can taste the need, the desire on his tongue.

They don't bother with little whispers of love and promises of forever. There is only this moment, only each other. Eternity is for those stupid enough to believe something as flimsy and silly as love will last.

**.**

"So, you and Blaise are pretty serious, huh?" Pansy asks as she and Daphne pretend to their Divination assignment. "He couldn't take his eyes off you last night."

_Or his hands,_ Daphne thinks, but she doesn't trust Pansy with this information. Her best friend has a sharp tongue, and Daphne knows all too well how dangerous too much personal knowledge is in Pansy's hands.

"Serious," she laughs, grinning at Pansy. "Something like that."

_Seriously intense, maybe._

**.**

"Pansy thinks we're serious," Daphne breathes against his lips.

Blaise doesn't smile, only grows tense.

"We're not," she adds quickly, desperate to not ruin the evening.

"I know we're not," he growls, pushing her harder against the mattress. "I don't want to be."

"Me neither."

And she means it.

**ii. and i remember the day that saved us**

"Blaise!" Daphne calls out, frantically looking around the exodus of Slytherin students.

Why is she searching for him? She should be more concerned with saving her own skin. But some new instinct overpowers her self preservation.

"Have you seen Blaise?"

Theo shakes his head, and Daphne resists the urge to punch him for being so useless.

She turns around, prepared to run back toward the Great Hall in hopes of finding him, but the sea of her Housemates carries her away like a bit of driftwood caught in a current. Helpless, she allows herself to be pulled along.

**.**

"There's Mum and Dad," Astoria says, but Daphne doesn't follow her sister's gaze. "Daphne?"

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Blaise."

Her sister makes a sound that might be a laugh or a cough. Daphne can't tell, and she doesn't really care either way.

"Isn't he just your toy?"

The older girl glares, hands forming fists. "Shut it."

"I'm just saying, you- There he is."

Daphne's head jerks to the side, and relief washes over her. Ignoring her sister and their waiting parents, she pushes her way through the crowd until she's directly in front of Blaise. "Don't ever-" She shoves him, a choked sob slipping from her throat. "-scare me like that again!"

Blaise stares at her, dark eyes wide and confused. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

Daphne shakes her head. There are no words to explain the thoughts racing through her head. Everything she feels now contradicts the things she's felt before.

"I think we need to talk," he sighs.

**.**

"I thought we agreed nothing serious," he says when they manage to find a moment's peace and quiet among the chaos.

Daphne shuffles her feet over the Hogsmeade street, staring up at the flashing lights of war waged in the distance. "Who said I want something serious?" she grumbles.

By now, she's had enough time to collect herself and regain her composure. She still doesn't understand what possessed her to seek him out when her safety should have been her only real concern, but maybe she'll find a way to justify it if she tries hard enough.

"Theo said you were going mental," Blaise answers, moving closer and blocking her view so that she has no choice but to look at him.

Color floods her cheeks, and she narrows her eyes. "I was not going mental!" she says. "But if I lost you, I'd have to find someon else to shag on a regular basis, and I'm not sure that anyone else can really compare."

She can tell that he doesn't believe her. She can hardly blame him, really. But the strange part is that he looks like maybe he doesn't mind. Of course, he doesn't say it, and she doesn't call him on it.

But Daphne knows that something has definitely changed between them.

**iii. tonight we're alive for the very first time**

They walk through the castle together, holding hands as they pass through ash and rubble.

"Wow," Daphne says.

Blaise nods without a word.

**.**

They linger in the common room, their belongings packed and waiting at their feet.

"So, you were really going to come back to look for me?" he laughs, is arms swinging awkwardly at his sides.

Daphne has never seen him look so out of place and uncertain before. It's almost amusing to see the high and might Blaise Zabini become so human.

"I told you, I-"

He cuts her off with a kiss, and at first Daphne can't tell why it feels so different from all the others they've shared over the years.

As he pulls away, she understands. It had been gentle. There had been no force, no demand. It's a kiss, a real, proper kiss.

"I thought you didn't want anything serious," Daphne says, touching her fingertips to her lips, still trying to comprehend what has happened.

"Maybe I changed my mind."


End file.
